Reduce Your Heating Bill This Winter
Winter can get expensive quickly. Keeping your family warm and cozy often comes with a high price tag. Did you know that on average heating your home accounts for 45% of your energy bills?
Becoming energy efficient doesn’t have to be costly. That’s why we’re here to help with a few tricks of the trade that drive energy costs down and work to save you money without sacrificing warmth.
Shrink Wrap
Cold glass on your windows can quickly turn warm air cold, not to mention invisible cracks that may be helping your heat escape. One easy way to reduce heat loss is by applying shrink wrap/window film to your windows. Plus, you can keep the film up all year long as it also helps to keep your home cool in the summertime. It’s easy to apply and remove.
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are great at keeping us cool in the summer, but did you know they could also keep us warm in the winter? Most ceiling fans include a switch to rotate blades in reverse during the winter, which pushes warm air down to the floor. Set the fan to turn counter-clockwise in the winter and clockwise in the summer. Don’t forget to turn your fan off when you leave the room, as it will use up energy when you are not there to reap the benefits.
Door Sweeps
Visit your local home improvement store for easy to install door sweeps. Cool air is likely seeping through your entryways and this quick fix can truly make a difference. Before you purchase, check with your utility company to see if they offer them for free to help their customers save energy.
Drapes
Shut those curtains! If you don’t like the idea of shrink wrapping your windows, this simple fix can also help to keep warm air away from your windows. Just remember to close your blinds/curtains at night and try keeping them open when the sun is able to stream in for additional warmth.
Manufactured Heat
When you’re sitting still you often feel much colder than when you’re busy. Try doing some simple things around the house to manufacture your own heat for free! Give your home a good cleaning, cook a warm meal or take a hot shower. These are simple ways to get moving and warm up without touching that thermostat.
Adjust Thermostat at Night
With flannel sheets and comforters, we don’t need a lot of additional heat besides our own body temperature at night. Consider turning the thermostat down a few degrees before you dose off. By turning your thermostat down 10 degrees or so for eight hours at a time you can save 10 percent each year on your heating costs according to the US Department of Energy. Can’t be bothered to manually adjust your thermostat? Ask us about a programmable thermostat.
Get a Check-up
Another great way to make sure you’re getting your heating bill down as low as it can go is to schedule a check-up for your heating unit. A company like Ranck can provide the insight you need to determine if your system is running efficiently. Don’t forget to also check your heating system filters, since a dirty filter often leads to high heating costs.
Wear Socks
Winter is not the time to let your feet go bare. Just putting on a pair of socks can instantly start to warm you up. Using things like blankets and sweaters instead of relying on your heating system can help drive costs down in no time.
Getting your heating bill down to a manageable cost is probably easier than you initially thought. With these simple steps, you’ll be able to enjoy a warm winter with money to spare.
Have a question about home heating – Just Call Ranck.